EAST LEEDS 2nd XI v OULTON 2nd XI 1st September 2018

A return of excellent summer weather saw East Leeds entertain Oulton at Pontefract Lane on Saturday although entertainment was restricted to the first few overs of each innings.

Rajab Ali delayed in knocking up Junaid (in the wake up call idiom), East Leeds resorted to an opening pairing of John Steel and Aaron Pearce; no issue there though as they raced to 56 in just 9overs before Pearce was bowled by Henshaw for a 24 which was liberally sprinkled with some excellent cover-driving, however the wheels were about to come off.

Junaid was LBW to Henshaw for a first ball duck and Ali’s stock policy of swinging at every ball saw him caught for 5 to leave the score on 73-3. Dan Thewlis looked uncharacteristically out of touch and survived one dropped catch before being taken behind for 1 by Elliott off change bowler Oliver Brown.

Steel, who had combined watchful defence with some fine attacking strokes fell hook line and sinker for a slower ball from Dalgreen to be easily taken at mid-off by skipper Wood for 42 from 52 deliveries with 7 fours and a six.

Sam Thewlis and Adam lines came and went quickly, Sam LBW to the returning Henshaw for 2 and Adam nicking off to Elliott off Brown for 1, followed in short succession by Knight, LBW to the same bowler for 0, although it must be said that the LBW decision given by the Oulton umpire was inordinately kind to the bowler.

Osman Malik and Shamraiz Hussain then combined to bring a small measure of respectability to the score, adding 27 for the last wicket in a stand which occupied 12 overs before Hussain edged to give Elliott his 3rd catch behind and Brown his third 5 wicket haul in as many weeks; a splendid effort, especially under dire family circumstances of his father Paul, a long term stalwart of Oulton CC seriously ill in hospital.

119 was always going to be a difficult score to defend on a placid pitch and without the home side’s key bowler, Bobby Mushtaq, however Rajab Ali and Shamraiz Hussain sent down some fine deliveries to create a position of hope; Johnny France holed out to Adam Lines at mid-off from a rare poor ball from Hussain before bowling fellow opener Savory for 0; and Pickard was well taken at slip by Thewlis off Rajab for 1.

Liam Dalgreen and Johnny Landels then combined to take the game away with some boisterous stroke play which saw each reach a half century at better than a ball a minute; the East Leeds bowling wilted in the onslaught as Oulton finished the game in just 19 overs.

Hussain had 2-30, Rajab 1-32, Lines and the both Thewlis family members also bowled.